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2219. A n ice-cold chamber is found of great use in horticulture, in preserving vegetables,
as peas, beans, cauliflowers, &c., iu a fresh state for sonic time after they are
gathered. Potatoes and other tubers and bulbs, also plants in pots, cuttings, &c., may
have tlieir vegetation retarded, by being placed in so cold an atmosphere. Sevcrai icehouses,
Neill informs ns, excellently adapted not only for the main purpose, but for these
secondary views, which nowise interfere with tlic other, have lately been constructed in
the ncighiiourhood of Edinburgh, under the directions of Hay, paiticularly at Dalmeny
Park and Dundas Castle. Tlicse ice-houses have double walls, a passage being left
between tlie outer and inner. In the thick wall immediately enclosing the ice, are four
recesses, with stone shelves for receiving the vegetables or fruits. In the outer wall the
sanm object is provided for. The roof, it may be added, is arched with stone, and has a
hole m the top, over the ccntre of the ice-chamber, for introducing the ice. The passao-c
between the t^vo walls is likewise arched, and has two or three small grated apertures,
whicli arc closed with fitted stones, and may be opened for the purpose of admitting light
and air wlicu wanted. (S u p p . to E n cyc . B r it . art. H o rt.)
2220. I f an ice-cellar were added to the domestic offices of countiy-seats, and the ice
preserved in it, and placed under the immediate care of the steward or housekeeper it
would certainly be more convenient for culinary use, and attended with less risk of melting
when ice was taken out. Ice-cold rooms, whicli would be found useful for various
purposes m domestic economy, might be formed adjoining. It is possible, however, that
altog tl producing cold and ice as wanted, may supersede the use of ice-houses
StmsECT. 2. O f the A p ia ry , and the M anag em ent o f Bees.
. ^ees seems more naturally to belong to gardening than the keeping
of ice; because their situation is naturally in the garden, and thcir produce is a
vegetable salt. The gardcn-bce is found in a wild state in most parts of the globe in
swimns or gorernmcnts; but_ never in groups of governments so near together as in a
bee-nouse, which is an artificial and unnatural contrivance to save trouble, and iniurious
to the insect directly as the number placed together. Thus, if ten acres are sufficient to
maintain two Jiivcs, a hundred acres will be required to maintain twenty; but wliile in
tlie former case, the hives being placed in the centre of the ten acres, each bee need not
perform a longer journey than two liundred yards ; in the latter, the colony being simi-
lai ly situated as to the hundred acres, the average journey for each insect will be nearly
a mile, lienee, independently of other considerations, one disadvantage of congregating
hives 111 bec-houses or apianes. The advantages are, greater facility in protecting from
heat, cold, or thieves,_aud greater facilities of examining their condition and progress,
riidependently of their honey, bees are considered as useful in gardens, by aiding in the
impregnation of flow'ers. For .this purpose, a hive is sometimes placed in a chen-y-house
and sometimes m peach-Iiouses; or the position of the hive is in the front or ¿iid wall
of such houses, so as the body of the hive may be half in the house and lialf in the wall
with two outlets for the bees, — one mto the house, and the other into the open air. Bv
tins aiTaiigement, the bees can be admitted to the house and open air alternately and
excluded from eitlier at pleasm-e. ^
2222.^ T h e ap iai-y o r bee-house. The simplest form of a bce-house consists of a few
oSrz livi-itthloíüutf shutters, to exclude the sun in ^4^3' 669.) exposed to the south, and with
summer, and, in part, tho frost in winter.
Nutt’s hives are generally considered the
best. Bcc-houses may always be rendered
agreeable, and often ornamental objects: they
are particulai-ly suitable for flower-gardens;
aud ono may occur in a recess in a wood or
copse, accompanied by a pictm-csque cottage
and flower-garden. They enliven a kitchen-
garden, and communicate pai-ticular impressions
of industry and usefulness. So many
works of easy access have been published on
the subject of bees,, that we do not think it
necessaiy to enter into details. The reader may consult Bagster O n Bees - Wighton’s
H is to ry and M anag em ent o f B e e s ; ¡axá o ü ío r v ro A s OR th is sdhifxX. ’
Sdbseot. 3. O f tlm Aviary, and o f Menageries, Piscmariesf^c.
e i n s l D c o u n t r y - h o u s e s of the Eomans, but used prin-
cipally, as it would appear from Phny, for birds destined to be eaten Sino-ing bird«
however, were kept by the Persians, Greeks, and also the Romans, in wickei cagfs; and
these utensils, no doubt, gave rise to the large and fixed cage called an aviary ; but in
what country, and in what age, appears uncertain. Aviaries arc highly prized in China,
and seem there to confer about a similar degree of digiiity to a house and family as docs a
large conservatory in this country ; for in the altercations which took place during Lord
Amherst’s embassy, it was stated, on the part of the emperor, that Sir George Staunton
had profited greatly from China, and had built himself a house and a n a v ia ry . That
they were in use in England in Evelyn’s time, it is evident from a memorandum entered
in his Diary, that the Marquess of Aa-gylc took the paiTots in his aviary at Saycs’ Court
for2 o2w2l4s.. 1 • -u T h e canary o r singing b ird a v ia ry used not unfrequently to be foi-med in the
opaque-roofed greenhouse or conservatory, by enclosing one or both ends with a
partition of wire ; and furnishing them with dead or living trees, or spray and hranclics
suspended from the roof, for the birds to perch on. The birds in an aviai-y of this land,
are generally the canary, bullfinch, linnet, &c.
2225. T h e p a rro t a v ia ry is generally a building formed on pm-pose, with a glass root,
front, and ends; with shades and curtains to protect it from the sun and frost, and^a
flue for winter heating. In these, artificial or dead trees with glazed foliage ai-c fixed in
the floor, and sometimes cages hung on them ; and at other times the birds are allowed
to fly loose. An aviary of tliis sort was built at Morden by the late Abraham Goldsch2m22id6t..
i. -, The verd ant a v ia ry is that in which, in addition to houses for the different sorts
of birds, a net or wire curtain is thrown over the tops of trees, and supported by light
posts 01- hoUow rods, so as to enclose a few poles, or even acres, of ground, and water in
various foi-ms. In this the birds in fine weather sing on the trees, the aquatic birds saü
on tho water, or the gold pheasants stroll over the lawn, and m severe seasons they
betake themselves to their respective houses or cages. Such an enclosed space wül ot
course contain cvergi-cen, as well as deciduous trees, rocks, reeds, aquatics, long grass
for larks and partridges, spruce firs for pheasants, furze-bushcs for linnets, &c. An
aviary somewhat in this way, was foi-med at Knowsley in Lancashu-e ; and by Cathenne
of Russia, in the Hermitage Palace. In short, these are the only sorts admissible
in elegant gardens; since nothing sm-ely to one who is not an enthusiast^ in this branch
of natural histoiy, can be more disagreeable than an apartment filled with the dirt and
discordant music of innumerable birds, such, for example, as the larp aviaiy at Kew.
Birds from the hot climates arc sometimes kept in hothouses among their native plants,
as in the large conservatories at Alton in Britain, and at Vienna. In this case, the doors
and openings for giving air must be covered with wire-cloth, and the numher must not
be great othenvise they will too much disfigurc the plants with their excrement.
2227. G allinaceous a v ia ry . In some gentlemen’s seats, portable netted enclosures,
from 10 to 20 feet square, are distributed over a part of the laivn, and display a
curious collection of domestic fowls. In each enclosure is a small wooden box or house
for sheltering the animals during night, or in severe weather, and for breeding, -bacfl
cage or enclosm-e is contrived to contain one or more trees or shi-ubs ; and water and tood
are supplied in smaU basins and appropriate vessels. Curious varieties of aquatic iowls
mio-lit be placed on floating ariaries on a lake or pond. , , n
2228. M enag eries were formerly attached to most of the royal g^dcns and parks ot
Europe. The most complete examples are those of the J a rd in des P lan tes in 1 aris, and
of the two London Zoological Gardens, constructed and aii-anged, as much as possible,
according to the nature and habits of the different animals enclosed. The subject,
however, can hardly be considered within our department.
2229. T he p isc in a ry, columbarium, ^c., belong to that part of i-ui-al economy which
forms the connecting link between rural and domestic economy.
S e c t. HI. D ec ora tive BuU dings.
2230 T he general characteristic o f decorative buUdings is, that they axe introduced more
for their pictiiresque effect as parts of exteraal scenery, than as absolutely necessary.
Tlieir constructioD, like tlio others, belongs chiefly to ciril architecture and sculpte® 5
hnt the choice and emplacement to gardening. Their Taricty is almost endless ; hift we
shall rank a few selections nnder tho different heads of usetul, convement, and cliarac-
teristic decorations.
Su b se c t. 1. U s e fu l D ec ora tive B u ild ing s.
2231. U s e fu l decorations are sncli as, while they serve as ornaments, or 7
effect of a scone, are also applied to some real use, as m the case
They arc the class of decorative buildmgs most gonerÿ, and east liable “ °“J®®‘'° ’ -
2232. Coitogesai-e of various sorts: one grand division is “ " " > 1 ® ? ™ / ' " R
arcliitecture employed, as Grecian, Gothic, Chinese, &c. ; anothei, on the matenas
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